Thailand, southeast Asian country situated on the
Indochinese Peninsula also known as Siam which was the official name of the
nation until 24th june 1939 well known for its stunning, tropical beaches,
ancient ruins, opulent royal palaces and ornate Buddhist temples has seen a
significant recovery of its tourism sector in the current year recording 26.6
million arrivals of international visitors as of 05th October 2024 and focused with its strategies for set tourism goals.
This figure represents a 30% increase compared to
the same period in 2023, a growth that currently positions Thailand as one of
the most popular and in high demand destinations in Southeast Asia, attracting more
than twice as many visitors as neighboring Vietnam, which is becoming a very
trendy and highly sought-after destination year on year.
Tourism is Thailand's second-largest economy,
playing a crucial role in the nation's economic growth today, and as the peak
tourist season of the year approaches, the TAT, the Tourism Authority of
Thailand, has set an ambitious goal of receiving 36.7 million international
tourists by 2024.
To achieve this objective, Thailand needs to attract more than 10 million international visitors during the last quarter of the current
year, a goal that TAT officials are optimistic hoping to achieve.
The Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand
Thapanee Kiatphaibool remains confident in achieving this milestone by taking
advantage of a combination of special events, increased international routes
and a combination of promotional campaigns that increase the visibility of the
country.
Linked to all that, the TAT efforts have been
supported by the recovery of major international markets including Saudi
Arabia, China and India in Asia, Russia and European countries such as Germany
and Great Britain.
The recovery of tourism in Thailand has been driven
by both traditional and emerging markets and China, historically one of the
largest sources of international visitors to the Southeast Asian country, has
seen a remarkable recovery in outbound travel after the reopening of its
borders.
The TAT has also placed a strong focus on India,
which has quickly become one of the fastest-growing incoming markets for Thai
tourism.
In addition to these two Asian countries, Russia
has long remained an important market for Thailand, especially for renowned
beach destinations such as Phuket, idyllic site in the Andaman Sea,
boasting some of Thailand's most popular beaches and several other attractions,
where Russian tourists are among the first visitors.
Among European countries, tourists from Germany,
Great Britain and Poland have always shown a strong interest in traveling to
Thailand, particularly during the winter months when the tropical climate of
the Asian country serves as a very attractive refuge continuing nowadays
as one of the favorite exotic destinations.
The Asia-Pacific region continues to be a dominant
force in driving tourist numbers with the Australian market as one of the leaders,
while tourists from the Middle East and particularly those from Saudi Arabia
are increasingly attracted to destinations as Thailand and its captivating
wellness tourism offerings.
As for new air routes, Thailand is seeing direct
flights established from emerging and key markets, for example in December 2024
Saudi Arabia will launch direct flights to Phuket from the capital Riyadh and
Jeddah, thus opening up greater access to tourists from the Middle East.
Similarly, the new air routes established by Australia
and Poland are expected to increase tourist flows from Oceania and Europe with
a consequent increase in international visitors from these two continents
during the high season.
Taking all those elements into account, TAT
believes that it is possible to attract at least 3.5 million tourists from
abroad during the last quarter of 2024.
To maintain the dynamism of tourism, the Tourism
Authority of Thailand has conceived and launched a series of tourism
initiatives aimed at attracting more visitors in the fourth quarter of 2024 by
positioning the country as a year-round tourist destination.
The key strategies used are varied starting from
promotions and discounts with the Thai Tourism Board which has collaborated
with hotels, travel agencies, airlines with special offers and attractive
promotions focused on attracting more visitors during the high season.
Special events are another highlight to set goals of Thailand,
which will host various events and festivals such as the famous Loy Krathong in
November and the New Year's Eve celebrations, both of which are important
attractions for international tourists.
Wellness and medical tourism is another important resource, a segment in which Thailand is positioning itself as a global hub
offering health retreats, spa treatments and medical services with a vast,
attractive offer that caters not only to international travelers but also to
regional ones that has a large pool of highly interested toursits.
The sustainability initiatives are also part of a
programme linked to a long-term tourism strategy with Thailand that is focusing
intensively on sustainable tourism practices, promoting attractive ecological
travel options and responsible tourism experiences that preserve the country's
natural resources and cultural heritage, and also in this area the interest
from various international markets is remarkable.
The previous mentioned new flight routes with the
expansion of air connectivity remains a priority for the TAT, the new routes
opened or that will open soon from Saudi Arabia, India, Russia and Europe will
play a key role in increasing the number of tourists during the winter season
and with optimism approaching the set tourism goals.
Link -
https://www.expreso.info/noticias/internacional/102974_27_millones_los_turistas_internacionales_llegados_tailandia
